Another bonus of riding through town is the ability to take in your surroundings as you move. Your travelling slower than in a car, and are part of the environment rather than cut off from it enclosed in a steel box with its own climate and sounds.
On your bike you hear the sounds of the streets, experience the smells and can actually interact with those around you.
Last friday I met a fellow cyclist on my way up sysmonds street who turned out to be a canadian exchange student exploring the city on a sunny friday evening (a rare surprise in Autumn) we chatted on the way up the hill and sent him on his way to explore the rest of the city. We exchanged a friendly handshake and went our seperate ways....
This was a mere 5 min interaction but highlights the possibilities for interaction that wouldnt happen in a car, have you ever noticed how we ignore there are people in other cars unless they tick us off?
It also allows you to check out anything at a whim, no worry about finding a carpark just a pole, street lamp or fence is adequate to secure your bike and there you have it, stop for food, shops or friends instantly!
Theres nothing quite like riding in the morning experiencing the freshness of the day, and getting to know your city that little bit more. If you don't believe me give it a go!
That's really neat! I reckon it is definitely a way of building community and connections in the city. A really neat book that I've flicked through is 'Bicycle Diaries' by David Byrne. It is about his observations of cities as he's cycled around for 30 years!
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I'd like to ride a bike, but because I live so close to everything I need I just walk, which is probably optimal for serindipidous meetings? I'm also a bit too unfit to ride a bike! And the thought of all the hills...and scary buses. I've seen one nearly take a lady on a bike on Grafton Bridge...bit of a close call.